Topic: How to program an arduino without host pc & using arduino as handheld programmer (Read 2909 times)previous topic - next topic

Mukhthar_Ahmed

I have an arduino 328 programmed and the project board deployed on site. There is some changes to be made to the arduino sketch, which is done on the host pc. My question is How do I upload the new sketch on to the project board? 1. I dont have access to carry a laptop to the site2. I cannot disconnect the project board and get it to reflash.3. target board does not have ethernet (it is a dumb sequencer controlling 8 relays, now needs change in sequencing)4. one possibility is reprogram a new chip and replace it on the project board. If this is frequent then this solution is not ideal

Another example, if I had to update say 100 boards then replacing chips would not be a good idea, instead an arduino hand held diy kit to update/reprogram the target arduinos would be a ideal choice.

I looked into arduino boot cloner but I do not know if this would work, need suggestions to move forward

Or just a couple of LEDs to indicate status, and the SD card module.Is a bootloader needed? Or just the sketch?Creating a combined bootloader/sketch file for uploading was discussed in the forum quite recently.

Couldn't you also just link the two via TX/RX and reset lines, reset the target and read and transfer a Hex file from an SD card, via the target bootloader?

That would require the equivelent code as the AVRDUDE PC based program that knows how to talk to the bootloader. Maybe not impossible but I haven't seen anything trying that method, ICSP is the normal method used.

That's an idea we had for allowing a user to perform a firmware update on our devices, although we've not tested it yet.